Arkivism
David and Jonathan Renew Their Covenant / David Spares Saul's Life / David's Men Ask Nabal for Food / Abigail's Offer
Public domain

David and Jonathan Renew Their Covenant / David Spares Saul's Life / David's Men Ask Nabal for Food / Abigail's Offer

Johann Sadeler (I) · 1575 · engraving; paper

From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

Four scenes on an album leaf depicting the life of David, numbered seventeen to twenty. At the top left, Jonathan and David confirm their covenant of friendship in Choresa. In the background, David fights the Philistines to free the inhabitants of Keilah. In the scene at the top right, Saul crouches to relieve himself. In the cave behind him, David and his men are hiding. David spares Saul's life and takes only a piece of his cloak. In the background, David shows the piece of cloak to Saul, proving he means him no harm. At the bottom left, David's men ask Nabal for food. Nabal refuses to give the men or David food. In the background, Nabal's wife Abigail packs a donkey with drink and food. At the bottom right, Abigail kneels with her offering before David, who is seated on a horse. Each scene has a Latin inscription and four lines of Latin in the lower margin. The leaf is part of an album.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own description
Credit lineDavid en Jonatan vernieuwen hun verbond / David spaart Sauls leven / Davids mannen vragen Nabal om voedsel / Aanbod van Abigaïl. 1575. Johann Sadeler (I). Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.

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